1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an improved shower accessory. In the most preferred embodiment, the accessory includes a filter, for filtering water before it passes out through the shower head, in combination with several other salient features such as an improved filter case, improved quick disconnect type couplers, improved dispensing containers for cosmetics, and/or improved mounting systems. However, various of these salient features are capable of use independently of one another, and embodiments incorporating such independent usage are also encompassed within this invention.
2. Description of the Background
The benefits of filtering water prior to consumer use are becoming increasingly apparent. While public attention is possibly focused primarily on filtering of water prior to drinking, research has shown that filtering of water prior to contact with the body may be equally important, if not more so. Some research has indicated that certain impurities, notably some chemical contaminants, often present in "potable" water may be absorbed through the skin with particular efficiency while showering.
If the human body or part thereof is immersed in a highly concentrated solution of such chemicals, certain natural defense mechanisms are triggered, whereby the skin reacts in such a way as to resist absorption. However, the concentrations of such contaminants in typical water supplies are very low. Furthermore, the body is not immersed while showering. Thus, it is believed that showering under such conditions does not tend to trigger these defense mechanisms. On the contrary, the skin tends to be warm and relaxed and to absorb very efficiently while showering. Some data suggest that, as to certain types of substances, one five-minute shower per day might subject a person to as much exposure to unwanted contaminants as living with a smoker.
City and other water quality control services are usually limited to ensuring that the water supply does not contain microorganisms likely to cause severe illness, and also to ensure that substantial quantities of highly offensive and/or immediately and severely dangerous chemicals are not present. It is simply not feasible, at least at the current time, for most water quality service entities to attempt to control the presence of every substance, in any quantity, which might have some effect on health upon prolonged exposure.
Home water filtration systems are available which can be installed upstream of the main water inlet into a house, so that all water entering the house is filtered. However, such systems are relatively expensive and can be troublesome to maintain. The consumer may be less likely to go out to a location, typically at the side or the back of the house, to replace the filtering medium, as often as is recommended. Yet with such a filter treating all the water entering the house, it is particularly important that the filtering medium be changed frequently enough. Otherwise, not only will the filtering medium become "spent," in the sense that it cannot adsorb any more impurities, but microbial growth within the filtering medium can replace one health problem with another, and possibly worse.
Water filters are also available for installation in individual water taps. These are usually used in connection with kitchen taps, because of the aforementioned public attention on drinking water, as opposed to bathing water. It is, of course, possible to devise such a filter for installation just upstream of a shower head. At least one such filter has been devised and sold under the name "Rainshower." This device was in the form of a large disc. Positioning of the filter directly in line with the shower head makes the filter particularly inconvenient to service because of the necessary height of the shower head. Since people tend to avoid doing that which is inconvenient, once again there is the danger that the consumer will not change the filtering medium often enough, which can present a worse problem than that the filter was originally intended to solve. Further consumer resistance to the use of such a direct in-line filter is generated by the necessary size of the filter which, when positioned near the shower head, is considered unaesthetic.
There is also room for improvement in various ancillary devices, such as connectors and dispensing containers, which ca be incorporated with a shower filter to enhance it.